Though
numbskull congressional spendthrifts are throwing our money at every
misfortune these days, divorce is one calamity that’s losing out.
“Two can live cheaper than one” seems to be an upbeat offshoot
of the present recession. Divorce is just too darn expensive.

“In these tough times many people are finding it's
cheaper to stay together, even when they can't stand each other,”
writes Marty Orgel for MarketWatch. “Circuit courts across the
country report downturns in the number of divorce and separation filings.”

With a tip of the oven mitt to home-making maven, Martha
Stewart, “That is a very good thing.”

Let’s hope that when happy days are here again those
slumping divorce rates continue downward. In spite of the anti-marriage
rhetoric of cantankerous hardcore feminists, marriage greatly benefits
spouses, children, and society in general. A myriad of studies reveal
that marriage better protects individuals from alcoholism, illness,
suicide, accidents and murder.

As to women specifically, the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services reports that married women enjoy greater personal
safety, educational opportunities, have more creative outlets, sexual
fulfillment and social connectedness.

And married men need to quit with their proverbial ball-and-chain
jokes.

“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and
obtaineth favour of the Lord,” said Israel’s King Solomon.
DHHS echoes Solomon with its research, finding that marriage lengthens
men’s lives, improves their health, provides more frequent and
satisfying sex. They have “increased employment stability,”
stronger relationships with their kids and are less likely to contract
those rude STDs or land in the drunk tank.

Kids with married parents tend to be more socially and
academically successful, says Linda Waite and Maggie Gallagher in their
book “The Case for Marriage: Why Married People Are Happier, Healthier,
and Better Off Financially.” These children are at vastly decreased
risk of abuse, drug use, mental illness, criminal behavior, pre-marital
sex and pregnancy,

U.S. Bureau of the Census (2006) found that children in
two-parent households are also less likely to experience poverty. “In
the U.S., nearly 60% of the children from single-parent households live
in poverty, as compared to only 11% of children from two-parent families.”
The 2010 census will undoubtedly and unfortunately find more of a spike
in the negatives for singly parented children.

The often-used divorce myth--that children benefit if
their incompatible parents split—doesn’t hold up.

“In lower-conflict marriage…and as many as
two-thirds of divorces are of this type, the situation of the children
can be made much worse following a divorce. These children benefit if
parents can stay together and work out their problems rather than get
a divorce,” write Paul R. Amato and Alan Booth, in their book,
“A Generation at Risk: Growing up in an Era of Family Upheaval.”

And
who knows? Separate sleepers who fight for their marriage could very
well end up back in the same bed. Linda Waite discovered in further
research that 86% of unhappily married pairs who stuck with it were
happier when re-interviewed five years hence. Sixty percent rated their
unions as either “very happy” or “quite happy.”

This
recession is being wrongly compared to the Great Depression. Economic
stats don’t support that claim. But one striking similarity can’t
be ignored. Families then and now realize that it is cost-effective
for spouses to tough it out together. A popular Depression-era ditty
took that truth one step back by encouraging courtship.

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“Potatoes
are cheaper, tomatoes are cheaper; now's the time to fall in love…You'll
find in some kind o' trouble, you're better off double; now's the time
to fall in love”